Machine for making pop-corn gems



N0. 6I8,669. Patented Jan. 3|, I899.

J. E. HARVIE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING POPCORN GEMS.

(Application filed Feb. 25, 1898.) {N0 Model.) 2 Sheets$heet l.

n TUNE m R W? Ni s I $5 liq: w R I g M Q R 3 v g M W726JJ6J. jfivezzzqf W W/ WWW N0. 6|8,669. Patented Jan. 3], I899. J. E. HARVIE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING POPCORN GEMS.

' (Application filed Feb. 25, 1898.)

Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 yewj Wm M JOHN HARVIE, OF Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR MAKING PQP-CORN GEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 618,669, dated January 31, 1899. Application filed February 25, 1898. Serial No. 671,640. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN E. HARVIE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Making Pop-Corn Gems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved machine for making pop-corn gems, the object being to provide very simple and efficient means for compressing the pop-corn into gems and ejecting the gems after they have been compressed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical central section through the machine from front to rear, the said section being taken in the plane of the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2is arear view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section looking toward the rear of the machine, taken in the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is atop plan View of the drawer. Fig. 5 is a side view of the same. Fig. 6 is a side view of one of the presser-bars with its compressor-blocks. Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the same, and Fig. 8 is a cross-section in the plane of the line 8 8 of Fig. 6.

The frame A of the machine may be of any suitable form. The two upper side bars act are provided with suitable tracks or grooves a of along their inner faces, within which grooves projections 11 b of a reciprocating drawer B are caused to travel. This drawer B is provided with a plurality of cells or com partments b ,of any desired shape,which serve as receptacles for the reception of the popcorn which it is intended to compress into gems or cakes. Each of these compartments or cells 12 is provided with a loose bottom 0, which loose bottom has a downwardly-extended stem or guide 0. These loose bottoms C are arranged in transverse rows and maybe connected together by means of cross-pieces c, if so desired. These loose bottoms are forced upwardly for removing the gems from the compartments up into the plane of the top of the drawer by the following means:

A Vertically-sliding post D is mounted in suitable guides 01 d and is provided at its top with a plate d located in position to engage the loose bottoms O and raise them as the post is raised when the drawer B is at the limit of its rearward movement. This post normally returns to its lowered position by gravity, but is raised by means of a hand-cam E, having a suitable handle e and pivoted at e to the said post D. The face of the cam is adapted to travel along an antifriction rollerbearing d mounted upon the lower stationary guide cl in proximity to the said post. As the handle 6 is depressed the post will be raised.

A swinging compressor-frame is hinged at the top of the machine between suitable supports F F upon a pivot rod or barf, extending between the said supports. This swinging compressor-frame comprises apair of side plates G G, between which extend a series of transverse presser-bars g, having blocks g thereon, adapted to register with the different cells or compartments Win the drawer B as the compressor-frame is swung.

The swinging compressor-frame and the drawer are reoiprocated simultaneously, so as to coact with each other, by the following means:

A shaft H is mounted in the sides of the frame A, and the said shaft is provided with a suitable operating crank and handle h, whereby it may be rotated in either direction. This shaft is provided with a pair of spurgears I I, which are adapted to mesh with racks i 1', located along the bottom of the drawer B and each side thereof. The shaft H is further provided with a pair of spurgears J J], which are adapted to intermesh with the sector-racks j j upon the side plates G G of the swinging compressor-frame.

The sector-racks and the racks along the drawer B are of sufficient length to permit the drawer and compressor-frame to completely free themselves from each other when they are at the limits of their forward and rearward movements, so as to permit the compartments to be freely filled with the pop-corn which it is intended to press into gems at the front of the machine and to permit the gems to be first ejected from their compartments and then swept off the top of the drawer when completed.

The spur-gears I I and J J are of the same size, so as to insure the drawer and swinging compressor-frame moving at the same speed hack and forth in the machine and also in suring the proper registering of the presserblocks g with their compartments. These presser-blocks g are intended to enter a short distance into the compartments, and as they are all mounted at an equal distance from the pivot of the swinging frame all of the gems will be compressed to a predetermined thickness.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The drawer and compressor-frame are swung to the limits of their forward movement,- and the compartments are then filled with the popcorn to be compressed. The shaft H is then rotated, causing the drawer and compressorframe to swing rearwardly. This rearward movement will cause the presser-blocks g to press the pop-corn into gems of the proper thickness. When the drawer and compressorframe have reached the limit of their rearward movement, the hand-cam E is operated, causing the loose bottoms O of the compartments in the drawer to be elevated, thereby forcing the gems upwardly out of the compartments into the plane of the top of the drawer. The gems may then be swept off or removed in any suitable manner.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein shown and described; but

What I claim is-- 1. In a gem-making machine, a reciprocat ing drawer provided with cells or compartments, a swinging compressor-frame provided with presser-blocks arranged to enter the said cells or compartments in the drawer and means for reciprocating the drawer and swinging the compressor-frame, substantially as set forth.

2. In a gem-making machine, a reciprocating drawer provided with cells or compartments having loose bottoms, aswinging compressor frame provided with resser-blocks adapted to enter and leave the said cells or compartments as the drawer is reciprocated and the frame swung, means for operating the drawer and compressor-frame and means for sliding the loose bottoms upwardly, substantially as set forth.

3. In a gem-making machine, a suitable frame, a drawer fitted to reciprocate therein, the said drawer being provided with a plurality of cells or compartments, a swinging com pressor-frame provided with presser-blocks fitted to enter and leave the said cells or compartments as the drawer and frame are oper= ated and an operating-shaft having a geared connection with the'drawer and frame whereby the rotation of the shaft operates the said drawer and frame, substantially as set forth.

4. In a gem-making machine, a suitable frame, a drawer having a sliding movement therein, the said drawer being provided with a plurality of cells or compartments having loose bottoms, means for sliding the loose bottoms upwardly comprising a vertically.- sliding post mounted in the frame in position to engage the loose bottoms and a hand-cam pivoted to the said post and adapted to engage the frame for forcing the post and thereby the loose bottoms upwardly as the cam is operated, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 14th day of February, 1898.

JOHN E. HARVIE.

\Vitnesses:

G. G. J OHNSON, W. P. RHOADES. 

